University of Virginia Admission Essays

As a staunch believer in the absolute nature of human rights and justice, I never expected the struggle of a distraught, middle-aged Chilean woman to challenge me quite in the way that it did. From the moment I was first introduced to Ariel Dorfman’s play…

On my first day of third grade, I wore tap shoes to school. The majority of my elementary school years was a blur, but I vividly remember this occurrence as it is the earliest memory I have of going decisively against the crowd. They were…

A home should serve as a transitional space between shelter and the outdoors. In all of the structures that I design, I try to include walls full of windows that will allow in natural light. These windows help to integrate elements of a cozy interior…

I walk into the cafeteria at 7:30 AM and make my way to the microwave, taking a tupperware container out of my lunch box. I look around the lunch room–I see people eating donuts, bagels, and breakfast sandwiches. What do I have? Chicken. The microwave…

The pianist plays the final chord, the conductor lowers her hands, and the audience pauses in awe before applauding the beautiful rendition. Three hundred pairs of eyes relax and slowly look around, secretly celebrating what has just been accomplished. After hundreds of rehearsals, four months…

Revelation. This one word describes my learning style, my writing habits and my insights. I can be in a library studying for a subject I don’t quite understand and out of nowhere I receive a revelation. Revelation, to me, is the missing puzzle piece that…

The reason I did so well on my Math Analysis final exam in my junior year was because of Blink-182 and black tea. By the time May came around, my study session for math went like this – pour the water in the kettle and…

As I reflect on my journey so far, I realize that my true passion lies in the field of genetics. Therefore, I am thrilled to apply for admission to the University of Virginia’s medical department with a focus on genetic studies. What motivates me the…

The sound of my bassoon echoed throughout the Kennedy Center, supporting the upper register of the flute, oboe, and clarinet. I locked eyes with the flautist, sitting directly across from me, and with the quick movement of his flute, the four of us cut off…

My eyes slowly closed to the last chords of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” fading from Mr. Connell’s guitar. It was the first night, and the day had been hectic, but things were going as planned. I looked around the cozy room and saw my classmates sprawled…